Funding for the Supplemental Diet Help Program will expire on the finish of the month, impacting as many as 42 million individuals—16 million of them kids.
And for those who’re considering that that is simply an unlucky, unfixable product of the federal government shutdown, assume once more.
The Division of Agriculture has about $5 billion in contingency funds it might use, even throughout the shutdown. It could cowl about two-thirds of the entire month of advantages. However, in response to the administration, these funds are just for emergencies “like hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods, that can come on quickly and without notice.”
Hunger is seemingly not an emergency.
So the administration gained’t spend these contingency funds, nor will it reimburse states in the event that they decide up the slack.
Unsurprisingly, the administration is saying that is the fault of Democrats, who’ve “voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program.” In fact, Democrats have accomplished no such factor. They’ve voted 12 instances in opposition to the GOP’s refusal even to debate issues just like the expiration of expanded well being care subsidies. However in response to the USDA, “the well has run dry.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, proven in February.
Yeah, about that.
The requirement that these contingency funds be used to maintain SNAP assist flowing isn’t one thing that the Democrats invented out of entire fabric. The USDA’s personal shutdown plan mentioned, “Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown.”
In fact, reasonably than fulfill, and even acknowledge, this obligation, the administration as a substitute simply deleted the USDA report from its web site. That’s one method to cope with it.
It isn’t simply that the administration might fund SNAP however doesn’t need to. The administration is required to fund SNAP however doesn’t need to.
Pretending that Democrats are those blocking entry to SNAP funds is made much more absurd by the truth that the One Massive Stunning Invoice, which congressional Republicans handed earlier this 12 months, minimize SNAP funding by $187 billion over the following 10 years. That’s a 20% hit to this system. There’s just one occasion desirous to starve individuals, and it isn’t the Democrats.
Some conservatives don’t care if individuals might quickly go hungry. Take Mike Davis, former chief counsel to Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley.
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We must always solely assist individuals who can’t assist themselves.
It’s outrageous 40MM individuals get meals stamps.
Get off your fats, ghetto asses.
Get a job.
Cease reproducing.
Change your shitty tradition.
Cease giving meals stamps to immigrants.
We don’t need you right here, for those who gained’t work. https://t.co/L6POe5lNDm
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) October 26, 2025
Shhh, no one inform him that regardless of the way you slice and cube the federal government’s personal information, white persons are the biggest racial demographic of SNAP recipients. Undoubtedly don’t inform him that almost all of SNAP recipients who can work do work.
Withholding SNAP funds is nothing however abject cruelty towards among the most weak individuals in America. In the meantime, in the case of Immigration and Customs Enforcement goons or the army, the money flows freely. The administration is making its priorities crystal clear.
